Crime Prevention Topic: CCTV

Crime Prevention Topic: CCTV

Dear Ruislip & Ickenham Residents,

I wanted to share some practical ideas around home CCTV.

Please be advised I am not a CCTV expert. This is based on my research and understanding of what commonly works. For cameras and installation, you may wish to consult an expert.

GETTING STARTED…

If you already have CCTV, or are thinking of getting it, the most important question is:

Will the footage actually help identify a person or vehicle if something happens?

Some simple things to consider:

Positioning: Cover the approaches to your property and, where appropriate, the road immediately outside.

Faces: Try to position cameras where people will be close enough to obtain a useful image of their face.

Vehicles: Consider whether you can capture vehicles approaching or leaving and their direction of travel.

Night-time: Check what your footage actually looks like after dark. A camera that looks excellent during the day may struggle at night.

Lighting: Good outside lighting can greatly help a camera capture moving people and vehicles clearly.

Test it: Walk past your own camera during the day and at night, then review the recording. Ask yourself: Could I identify myself from this footage?

Storage: Make sure your camera is recording and that you know how to find and save footage if you need it.

You don't necessarily need the most expensive system. Good positioning, lighting and appropriate settings can be just as important as the camera itself.

If that's all you wanted to know, hopefully the above helps!

WANT MORE DETAIL?

For residents interested in the more technical side, below is an example of the sort of setup and features you might consider.

Illustrative CCTV Setup Example (1 camera, expandable)

The setup below is one illustrative example only. A specific camera is named to provide a concise and practical example without having to list extensive technical specifications. This is not a Metropolitan Police endorsement or recommendation of this product, manufacturer or retailer. Other cameras and equipment with equivalent features may be equally suitable.

TrackMix Series P760 x1: example cost approx. £111.99

5-Port PoE Switch x1: example cost approx. £39.99

128GB High Endurance microSD Card x1: example cost approx. £31.10

20m Outdoor CAT6 Cable x1: example cost approx. £14

2m Network Patch Cable x1: example cost approx. £3

Example setup total: approx. £200.08

Example expansion per additional camera:

TrackMix Series P760 x1: approx. £111.99

128GB High Endurance microSD Card x1: approx. £31.10

20m Outdoor CAT6 Cable x1: approx. £14

2m Network Patch Cable x1: approx. £3

Example expansion total: approx. £160.09 per camera

Prices are examples at the time of writing and will vary.

What should you look for in a camera?

4K resolution: provides greater detail when reviewing footage.

Dual lenses: can provide both a wider and closer view.

Person and vehicle detection: helps distinguish relevant movement.

Automatic tracking: helps keep a moving person or vehicle in view.

Night vision: consider performance after dark, not just during the day.

Local storage: allows recordings to be stored directly on the camera.

PoE: provides power and network connectivity through one Ethernet cable.

Adjustable shutter speed: particularly useful when trying to capture movement.

For example, a shutter speed of around 1/1000th can help minimise motion blur from moving people or vehicles. However, a faster shutter lets in less light, so good illumination becomes particularly important at night.

What does the other equipment do?

The 128GB High Endurance microSD card stores recordings locally. The example camera supports cards up to 256GB.

The PoE switch powers the camera and connects it to your network. Check the camera manual to make sure the switch provides sufficient power and has enough PoE ports for the number of cameras you intend to use.

The example 20m outdoor CAT6 cable runs from the camera to the PoE switch, while the 2m patch cable connects the switch to your router. Actual lengths will depend on your property.

Privacy

If your CCTV captures areas beyond your property boundary, such as the road or pavement, data-protection responsibilities may apply. Please see current Information Commissioner's Office guidance for further information.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Reply to this message

Message Sent By
Aleksandrs Lukjanovs
(Metropolitan Police, PCSO, Ruislip)